Fantastic Find

In the name of all things right with the world, someone please buy these chairs. I'm not the seller, but happened upon them via Craigslist. They just need a little upholstery love, like the chair from Anthropologie that's shown below. If I could in any way justify the need for these three chairs, I would. Trust me, I tried.



If you're interested, here's the original link.

Drool Worthy: Mesh Purses

What I wouldn’t give to own one of these beauties. I ran across three different mesh purses at Wolff’s Flea Market this past Sunday. I hope it’s an indication of a forthcoming trend. Each purse ranged from $40-$135, which was more than I wanted to spend at a flea market, but overall in terms of mesh purses, those prices are a steal! My heart belongs to the purse with the fringe bottom. More images and detailed shots of these great accessories on Flickr.

A Mini Showcase: Men's Decor

I couldn’t help but notice all the great items for men at my recent trip to the flea market. As I wandered up and down the aisles I was struck with fantasies of distraught bachelors’ begging me to help them decorate their spaces. Since I know of no such men I took pictures instead. Here’s a little roundup of some pieces I thought would work well for a more masculine look. A few different shots can be found on my Flickr.

Nothing But Love For Wolff's Flea Market

Summer is in full swing here in Chicago, and each weekend is filled with street festivals, live outdoor music and trips to the beach. This past weekend was no exception. Saturday night was spent inside the MeanMillies studio finishing up a few projects. With the windows open, a warm summer breeze ushered in the sounds from my neighbors as they held an outdoor party featuring a live backyard Jazz Band.

On Sunday I had the pleasure to finally check out Wolff’s Flea Market. If you are in Chicago or the Chicago land area, chances are, you’ve driven past this beast of a market held at All State Arena. The objective was to find pieces capable of being repurposed for jewelry and in general to become overall inspired. With vendors who were open to bargain, and lots of things to look at, the day was a success.

Check out the pictures above for 3 of my favorite objects from the day that didn’t make it home with me. A fun pair of earrings, a pair of vintage aviator goggles and a really great working record player (only $10!). For more great Wolff’s Flea Market finds check my Flickr.

MeanMillies Online Store

Hooray! The online shop is finally open courtesy of Etsy. Please visit my online space for lots of handmade, vintage inspired jewelry. Check back for more items in the next few weeks. I have some handmade items for your house and home just waiting to be posted.

Vintage Heaven Pop-Up Shop

A few weeks ago I was asked by Isa of Chicago Looks to be a part of Vintage Heaven, a Vintage Market located at Heaven Gallery here in Chicago. I couldn't turn down the opportunity. Here are a few flicks from the day. You can also find a few other images on my Flickr.

Last, and quite possibly most importantly, thank-you to James, my dear boss Andrea, and my sister Sarah for pulling long hours with me to get everything ready for show.

Irony Is Overrated

Aside from this blog, I have another blog called Irony Is Overrated. It's an image meets commentary blog. You can check it out here or see the images on my flickr.

New Necklaces

I really love vintage things. I'm also a huge fan of ornate necklines, collars, etc. I think the new necklaces I'm making reflect that. I hope you think they're nice.

I made this one for my dear friend Amy. A candid of her + necklace.

A hint at something new.

A quick peek at an upcoming project with Gus Gavino of Middle Mind Project.

Making Stuff, again.

Here’s a quick peak at a project I currently have in the works.

I’m playing with the interaction between more industrial looking materials paired with organic elements. We’ll see how it goes. This particular piece is a mock-up for a series I’ll be doing on a larger scale. That series will be on display at a sweet Rubbish event housed at EP Theater on February 11th. Check back for more details.

Photos:
An overall of the process, handmade bracket detail, canvas with added dimension before being covered